U.S. Commits $125,000 to Preserve 4,000-year-old Lejja Iron-smelting Site

The United States government has allocated a $125,000 grant to the Centre for Memories in Enugu for the preservation and digital documentation of the Lejja Iron-Smelting Site, an ancient historical site in Enugu State, Nigeria. Estimated to be around 2000 BC, the site showcases the technological prowess of communities in the region thousands of years ago.

The grant, under the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), will facilitate the physical conservation of the site and create 3D digital documentation to preserve its history and increase accessibility for future generations. The project, titled "Nchekwaba: Lejja Iron-Smelting," aims to shed light on the advanced technological skills of the ancient communities and preserve their living knowledge, oral histories, traditions, and community practices.

This is the fifth year of U.S. government cultural preservation support for Nigeria, bringing the total to approximately $1.2 million over the past five years. The project is led by Iheanyi Igboko, a U.S. exchange alumnus, and is part of the Cultural Heritage Forward program, which connects Smithsonian experts with Nigerian professionals.

Enugu State Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai and representatives from various Nigerian institutions attended the project launch in Lagos. The U.S. and Nigeria also have a Cultural Property Agreement in place to protect cultural heritage and combat looting and trafficking.